Morgan Goodwin's bloghttp://www.desmogblog.com/blog/morgan-goodwin
enSceptics On the Road: Watts in Australiahttp://www.desmogblog.com/sceptics-road-australia
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/large/public/blogimages/roo.jpg?itok=-yAzTyiK" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>This week and next week, prominent climate sceptic blogger <a href="http://sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Anthony_Watts">Anthony Watts</a> is touring Australia to help promote the country’s newest political party, the <a href="http://www.climatesceptics.com.au/watts.html">Climate Sceptics party</a>. Single issue parties are not unusual in Australia, and the Sceptics have been working to create a “new centrist party” to push for a “truthful, common-sense approach to [climate change] and all issues.”</p>
<p>The Climate Sceptics <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2010/jan/13/climate-scepticism-talk-lord-monckton">turned heads in January</a> when they had to beg their members for an extra $20,000 to pay <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/christopher-monckton">Christopher Monckton’s</a> stipend as part of $100,000 in tour fees. This begs the question: where does the cash come from to pay for the speaking tours of Australia? </p>
<p>DeSmogBlog asked the <a href="http://www.aec.gov.au/Parties_and_Representatives/Party_Registration/applications/index.htm">Australian Electoral Commission</a> if the party had registered itself yet and reported on any income. Unfortunately, as a new party, they do not need to file their finances until October. Furthermore, the sceptics party website <a href="http://www.climatesceptics.com.au/donors.html">clearly lists all the rules</a> about what donations need to be disclosed and which ones do not (donations less than $11,200 can be anonymous under Australian law.)</p>
<p>Watts’ tour is being <a href="http://australianconservative.com/2010/05/anthony-watts-australian-tour-watts-up-with-the-climate-june-13th-july-1st/">billed as a tool to fight</a> the Australian government’s weak and industry-friendly Emissions Trading Scheme, which it recently <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/environment/rudd-in-ets-backflip-20100427-tq37.html">put on hold</a> for about 3 years. Leon Ashby, the president of the Sceptics party, <a href="http://australianconservative.com/2010/05/anthony-watts-australian-tour-watts-up-with-the-climate-june-13th-july-1st/">says</a> “these presentations will make you think hard about the gap between the facts, public perception and where our political leaders want to take us.”</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/622">bob carter</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1245">lord christopher monckton</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/3350">Anthony Watts</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4369">Australian Environment Foundation</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5095">climate sceptics party</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5096">david archibald</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5097">institute for public affairs</a></div></div></div>Wed, 16 Jun 2010 09:20:49 +0000Morgan Goodwin4699 at http://www.desmogblog.comhttp://www.desmogblog.com/sceptics-road-australia#commentsExercise in Denial: BP Still Claims No Oil Plumeshttp://www.desmogblog.com/exercise-denial-bp-still-claims-no-oil-plumes
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/large/public/blogimages/WaltonSmith.jpg?itok=5bLeo7Iq" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><span class="caps">BP</span> Executives Tony Hayward and Doug Suttles have repeatedly denied the existence of underwater oil plumes in recent weeks. They cite expert evidence and studies, even as <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/08/AR2010060801850.html">multiple</a> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/06/08/08greenwire-scientist-awed-by-size-density-of-undersea-oil-98517.html">other</a> <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/09/gulf-oil-spill-bps-contin_n_606819.html">studies</a> have shown the existence of plumes. Just how deep is the culture of denial in this large oil company?</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.energyboom.com/policy/no-underwater-oil-plumes-bp-ceo-tony-hayward-denies-scientists-research">Energy Boom</a> reported on May 31st that “Hayward said samples taken by the company show no evidence of large masses of underwater oil. He said that oil’s natural tendency is to rise to rise to the surface, and any oil underwater is currently making its way to the top.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Days earlier, on May 28th, the <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703630304575270890205650502.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5">Wall Street Journal</a> reported a University of South Florida research vessel discovered an oil plume 1300 feet below the surface. Then on June 9th, a two-week research expedition on the Walton Smith (pictured above) found <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/09/gulf-oil-spill-bps-contin_n_606819.html">overwhelming amounts of evidence</a> for plumes and large clouds of oil below the surface. The samples, pulled from depths of up to 1200 meters “stank to high heaven,” researcher Smanatha Joye said. “They smelled like creosote, asphalt and diesel.”</p>
<p>Yet on June 9th <span class="caps">BP</span> <span class="caps">COO</span> of Exploration and Production told <span class="caps">NBC</span>’s Today show still defended Hayward’s statement, saying “we haven’t found any large concentrations of oil under the sea” and that it “may be down to how you define what a plume is here.” Watch the whole chilling interview:</p>
<p>
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</p>
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<p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1002">bp</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4162">oil companies</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5075">BP oil spill</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5082">oil plumes</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5083">tony hayward</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5084">doug suttles</a></div></div></div>Fri, 11 Jun 2010 02:00:40 +0000Morgan Goodwin4694 at http://www.desmogblog.comhttp://www.desmogblog.com/exercise-denial-bp-still-claims-no-oil-plumes#commentsScholars & Rogues Digs Deeper: Who Audits the Auditors?http://www.desmogblog.com/scholars-and-rogues-digs-deeper-who-audits-auditors
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/large/public/blogimages/Steve%20McIntyre.jpg?itok=TELah5wM" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><em>[Update June 17th] Scholars <span class="amp">&amp;</span> Rogues <a href="http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2010/06/08/climate-scientists-still-besieged/">sparked a vigorous discussion</a> about various tree-ring chronologies, and readers are encouraged to look through the discussions on <span class="caps">S&amp;R</span> as well as McIntyre’s <a href="http://climateaudit.org/2010/06/13/desmogging-desmogs-tricks-part-2/">Climate Audit</a> for all the juicy details. We also wish to note a correction made by Angliss regarding which graph was in discussion, but that point was not quoted by Desmogblog here. </em></p>
<p><em>Finally, we wish to highlight Desmogblog’s interest in the subject. We distinguished below between “the new famous ‘hide the decline’ statement, which Fox News <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2009/11/21/climate-skeptics-smoking-gun-researchers-leaked-e-mails/?test=faces">picked up</a> <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/04/26/climate-scientist-heated-satire-threatens-lawsuit/">as meaning</a> ‘<a href="http://mediamatters.org/research/200912010002">hide the decline in all global temperatures</a>’,” vs. the more subtle discussion points of specific pieces of climate evidence. </em></p>
<p>Last week <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/putting-conspiracy-theories-rest-scholars-and-rogues-puts-climategate-context">we mentioned a detailed analysis</a> by <a href="http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2010/06/03/context-climategate-emails/">Scholars <span class="amp">&amp;</span> Rogues</a> about how the stolen emails lack enough context to draw conclusions about climate science. <a href="http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2010/06/08/climate-scientists-still-besieged/">This week in part 2</a>, Brian Angliss gets more into the nitty-gritty details, challenging statements made by self-appointed <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/steve-mcintyre">Climate Auditor and mining executive Steve McIntyre</a> and others. </p>
<p>Often McIntyre’s discussions are not commented on by climate scientists, because they aren’t worth replying to. <a href="http://www.realclimate.org/">RealClimate.org</a> does <a href="http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2004/12/false-claims-by-mcintyre-and-mckitrick-regarding-the-mann-et-al-1998reconstruction/">when a response is warranted</a>, but most claims and assertions go unchecked, becoming memes within a small subsection of passionate climate scpetics. Angliss has found numerous misrepresentations within McIntyre’s writing, calling him out on exactly the kind of thing he likes to accuse real climate scientists of. </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4331">Brian Angliss</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4356">scholars &amp; rogues</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4624">Climategate</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4681">CRU</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4975">east anglia stolen emails</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5079">steve mosher</a></div></div></div>Thu, 10 Jun 2010 19:31:42 +0000Morgan Goodwin4692 at http://www.desmogblog.comhttp://www.desmogblog.com/scholars-and-rogues-digs-deeper-who-audits-auditors#commentsPutting Conspiracy Theories to Rest: Scholars and Rogues puts 'Climategate' in Contexthttp://www.desmogblog.com/putting-conspiracy-theories-rest-scholars-and-rogues-puts-climategate-context
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/large/public/blogimages/bg_top.jpg?itok=Dwq4Z4Zb" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>As the stolen emails non-scandal from November retreats slowly in the rear-view mirror, it’s worth a quick re-cap of why it was so exciting in the first place. Emails without context can be made to fit any story that someone wants to tell, which is one of the reasons we don’t like to release email correspondence that is inherently out of context. <a href="http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2010/06/03/context-climategate-emails/comment-page-1/#comment-80402">Brian Angliss at Scholars and Rogues</a> gives us an elegant run-through of how the stolen <span class="caps">CRU</span> emails are taken hopelessly out of context and cannot, in and of themselves, contribute to our understanding of climate science.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Given the demonstrated unreliability of electronic records that have been sorted or analyzed using automated tools, it’s unreasonable to make firm claims either of scientific misconduct, ethical lapses, or illegality based on only the published <span class="caps">CRU</span> emails. It takes full inquiries and investigations where the investigators talk with the involved parties to truly understand the details and the context surrounding claims like those made against the climate scientists mentioned in the published <span class="caps">CRU</span> emails. To date, three such inquires have been completed, and while there may be some areas where the inquiries can be fairly criticized, the fact that the results of all three agree with each other strongly suggests that Tim Osborn’s claim, rather than Geoff Sherrington’s, is closer to correct in this case – “It is impossible to draw firm conclusions from the hacked documents and emails.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>There is little that can dissuade someone who is convinced of a certain narrative, but fresh angles and a fresh perspective, such as Angliss offers, are an excellent part of the solution. Check out the full article for interviews with both skeptics and scientists, and a fascinating look at how a study of computer bug fixes can be used to illustrate the incompleteness of the electronic trail. See the full post at <a href="http://www.scholarsandrogues.com/2010/06/03/context-climategate-emails/comment-page-1/#comment-80402">Scholars and Rogues</a>. </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1505">Steve McIntyre</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4214">Scholars and Rogues</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4624">Climategate</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4838">climategate bogus</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4996">conspiracy theories</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5073">steven mosher</a></div></div></div>Fri, 04 Jun 2010 00:07:12 +0000Morgan Goodwin4672 at http://www.desmogblog.comhttp://www.desmogblog.com/putting-conspiracy-theories-rest-scholars-and-rogues-puts-climategate-context#commentsMcIntyre Disappoints Denier Conference; doesn't call for jailing of scientistshttp://www.desmogblog.com/mcintyre-disapoints-denier-conference-doesnt-call-jailing-scientists
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/large/public/blogimages/monty_python_witch-701441.jpg?itok=pltt_Y4N" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Mining Executive and blogger <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/steve-mcintyre">Steve McIntyre</a>, the darling of so many climate change deniers, surely disapointed the assembled <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/denial-a-palooza-4th-international-conference-climate-change-heartland"><span class="caps">ICCC</span></a> crowd in Chicago with his dry and <em>relatively</em> reasonable keynote address. The applause after McIntyre’s keynote address was significantly less than when he started because he didn’t call for Michael Mann and Phil Jones to go to jail.</p>
<p>Astronaut Harrison Schmidt (why is a former astronaut speaking at a climate conference?), who followed McIntyre, helped to steer the crowd back to the witch-hunt it was promised by conference organizers. Mark Sheppard, writing in the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=American_Thinker">American Thinker</a>, gave <a href="http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2010/05/iccc_4_opens_with_a_climategat.html">this account</a> of Schmidt’s remark after McIntyre finished:</p>
<blockquote>This is science, [Schmidt] retorted to a now cheering crowd, and if you want to play that game (tricks, non-disclosure, etc) then you can go somewhere else. <strong>To which more than a few in attendance added: “To Jail!”</strong></blockquote>
<p>I can think of no better analogy than the hilarious logic used by Monty Python’s King Arthur to impress an even more idiotic group of villagers, and magnificently prove that ‘she’s a witch!’.</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1505">Steve McIntyre</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/2902">american thinker</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4017">International Conference on Climate Change</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5047">iccc</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5048">harrison schmidt</a></div></div></div>Wed, 19 May 2010 06:57:22 +0000Morgan Goodwin4655 at http://www.desmogblog.comhttp://www.desmogblog.com/mcintyre-disapoints-denier-conference-doesnt-call-jailing-scientists#commentsWill Happer To Testify At Congressional Hearing on Climate Sciencehttp://www.desmogblog.com/will-happer-testify-congress-climate-science
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/large/public/blogimages/Will%20Happer_0.jpg?itok=XQQrteuT" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Will Happer, as chair of the George C. Marshall Institute, will testify Thursday before Rep. <a href="http://globalwarming.house.gov/mediacenter/pressreleases_2008?id=0240#main_content">Ed Markey’s Select committee</a> as the sole <span class="caps">GOP</span> witness arguing against the global warming consensus. Even though Happer, a physicist, has <a href="http://www.eecg.utoronto.ca/~prall/climate/skeptic_authors_table_by_clim.html">published exactly one paper that discusses climate change</a>, he is apparently the top choice of the <span class="caps">GOP</span> to discuss “<a href="http://globalwarming.house.gov/mediacenter/pressreleases_2008?id=0240#main_content">the ability to present data and information that can guide global warming solutions in a sometimes fierce political landscape</a>.”</p>
<p>Professor Will Happer augments his Princeton duties with high-profile climate denial. Ever since he and <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/s-fred-singer">Fred Singer</a> claimed that <a href="http://www.hiddenmysteries.org/conspiracy/reststory/bronfmanfreon.html">ozone depletion was not happening</a>, Happer has been willing to let his Princeton position and American Physical Union title serve the whims of ExxonMobil’s policy goals. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=5441">Happer proudly says</a> “I believe that the increase of <span class="caps">CO</span>2 is not a cause for alarm and will be good for mankind.” </p>
<p>He even falsely <a href="http://www.eyeblast.tv/public/video.aspx?v=yd8z4zprSU">told a congressional committee</a>: “We evolved as a species when <span class="caps">CO</span>2 concentrations were three or four times what they are now”. Actually, you need to go back hundreds of millions of years to find <span class="caps">CO</span>2 levels this high. Sorry Mr. Happer, your facts might be a bit muddled, but your motivations are clear.</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/willie-soon">Willie Soon</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/george-c-marshall-institute-0">George C. Marshall Institute</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/657">ExxonMobil</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4256">House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4691">Will Happer</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5041">William Happer</a></div></div></div>Wed, 19 May 2010 05:42:24 +0000Morgan Goodwin4654 at http://www.desmogblog.comhttp://www.desmogblog.com/will-happer-testify-congress-climate-science#commentsOffshore Drilling Industry Has Its Own 'Conservation Organization'http://www.desmogblog.com/offshore-drilling-industry-has-its-own-conservation-organization
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/large/public/blogimages/nov05depland_rg_300.jpg?itok=i0yoMhL7" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>One surefire way for conservation groups not to criticize the largest offshore drilling company in the world in the wake of a huge spill is for that company to sponsor and support its own conservation organization.</p>
<p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>In this 2005 image, <span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span class="caps">GMF</span> President John LaRue accepts a check from <span class="caps">BP</span>’s Hugh Depland (left) at a recent reception. </span></span></span></span></span></em></span></p>
<p>Unfortunately, the deep connections between the Gulf of Mexico Foundation and Transocean Limited, (owners of the disastrous Deepwater Horizon rig) were omitted by the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/04/science/earth/04enviro.html">New York Times this week</a>, which wrote a surprisingly positive front-page story about how the drilling disaster ‘wasn’t that bad’. <span class="caps">NYT</span>imes reporters Tom Zeller Jr. and John M. Broder spend the first half of the article on quotes from <a href="http://www.environmental.lsu.edu/overton.shtml">Edward Overton</a> of <span class="caps">LSU</span> and Quenton Dokken of the <a href="http://www.gulfmex.org/index.htm">Gulf of Mexico Foundation</a>. <br /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1002">bp</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/3440">offshore drilling</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5002">gulf of mexico foundation</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5003">quenton dokken</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5004">transocean</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5005">drilling disaster</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5006">oil spill</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5007">gulf coast</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5008">front groups</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5014">deepwater horizon</a></div></div></div>Wed, 05 May 2010 19:50:48 +0000Morgan Goodwin4619 at http://www.desmogblog.comhttp://www.desmogblog.com/offshore-drilling-industry-has-its-own-conservation-organization#commentsConservative Talk Show Host Brian Sussman Adds 'Climategate' to His List of Favorite Conspiracy Theorieshttp://www.desmogblog.com/conservative-talk-show-host-brian-sussman-adds-climategate-his-list-favorite-conspiracy-theories
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/large/public/blogimages/climategate%20cover.jpg?itok=0ph5pqjf" alt="Newest climategate book a &#039;greatest hits&#039; of conspiracy theories" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>The book “Climategate: A Meteorologist Exposes the Myth of Global Warming” is the newest bang on the Climategate drum. It is written by none other than Brian Sussman, the California <span class="caps">TV</span> personality whose conspiracy theories also include ‘<a href="http://mediamatters.org/research/200812030008">birther’ arguments</a> and the <a href="http://www.godgunsandgold.com/godTalk.html">discovery of the real Noah’s Ark</a>. <br /><br />The conservative media has fallen into a rut of chanting ‘climategate, climategate, climategate’ every time global warming is mentioned. If conservative mojo is demonstrated by how loudly one can say it, Brian Sussman just announced his candidacy for denier-in-chief.<br /><br />Sussman’s book, released on Earth Day 2010, is based on the over-arching theory that the entire environmental movement is a farce. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Climategate-Meteorologist-Exposes-Global-Warming/dp/1935071831/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1272419229&amp;sr=1-1#reader_1935071831">The back cover reads</a>: “For many decades, communists, socialists and the global elite have tossed a dizzying array of predicaments into American culture; that carbon dioxide emissions generated by mankind are ruining the planet, is their greatest assertion yet.”</p>
<p>According to Sussman, Earth Day is a socialist plot, <span class="caps">DDT</span> is harmless, Rachel Carson was wrong, and Al Gore <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,591415,00.html">doesn’t even believe in global warming</a>. Indeed, he thinks practically every environmental issue can be explained away as part of this theory. The book includes such gems as explaining how installing smart-meters that help the grid save energy is really just helping <a href="http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&amp;pageId=139973">Big Brother become a reality</a>. </p>
<p>It’s not necessary to address Sussman’s claims about Climategate, as <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/breaking-penn-state-finds-no-evidence-against-michael-mann">numerous</a> <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/second-expert-panel-shows-climategate-was-sham">investigations</a> have cleared the scientists of wrongdoing and found the underlying science sound. The book’s title is merely a trendy hook slapped on a book that’s been in the works for two years.<br /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4624">Climategate</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4995">brian sussman</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4996">conspiracy theories</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4997">birthers</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4998">noah&#039;s ark</a></div></div></div>Thu, 29 Apr 2010 19:35:34 +0000Morgan Goodwin4610 at http://www.desmogblog.comhttp://www.desmogblog.com/conservative-talk-show-host-brian-sussman-adds-climategate-his-list-favorite-conspiracy-theories#commentsMedia Outlets Falsely Reporting Scientific Fraud Should Make Correctionshttp://www.desmogblog.com/media-outlets-falsely-reporting-scientific-fraud-should-make-corrections
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><img style="float: left;" src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/Imsorry.jpg" border="0" width="160" height="144" />Ideologically motivated and often well-funded operatives were quick to broadcast the hacked East Anglia emails in November as ‘the biggest scandal of the century.’ Thanks to a <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/phil-jones-exonerated-british-house-commons"><span class="caps">UK</span> parliamentary investigation</a>, and an earlier <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/breaking-penn-state-finds-no-evidence-against-michael-mann">Penn State investigation</a>, we are reminded that the emails revealed no such scandal. <br /><br />We can expect that the industry-funded think tanks would go all out to spread any story that fits into their narrative of denying climate science. More alarming are the reporters that swallowed the bait and reported on the manufactured scandal in a fake debate.<br /><br />We should be expecting apologies and corrections from these reporters for taking the hints of ‘scandal’ and ‘fraud’ and reporting on them as fact:</p>
<ul><li>Bret Stephen in the <span class="caps">WSJ</span> hinted that global warming scientists were “closet Stalinists”? (The <a href="http://mediamatters.org/blog/200912080010">seems</a> to have been removed, but did he apologise for it?) 12/8/2009</li>
<li>Andrew Bolt in the <a href="http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/hadley_hacked/">Melbourne Herald Sun</a>: “Climategate: Warmist conspiracy exposed?” 11/20/2009</li>
<li>James Dellingpole in the <a href="http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jamesdelingpole/100017393/climategate-the-final-nail-in-the-coffin-of-anthropogenic-global-warming/">Telegraph</a>: “The Final Nail in the Coffin of Anthropogenic Global Warming” 11/20/2009</li>
<li>Leo Hickman and James Randerson in <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/nov/20/climate-sceptics-hackers-leaked-emails">The Guardian</a>: “Files stolen. Evidence of collusion among scientists”</li>
<li>Lauren Morello writing for Climatewire and picked up in the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2009/11/24/24climatewire-stolen-e-mails-sharpen-a-brawl-between-clima-19517.html"><span class="caps">NYT</span>imes</a>: “Stolen E-Mails Sharpen a Brawl Between Climate Scientists and Skeptics” 11/24/2009</li>
<li>The Freakonomics blog on the <a href="http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/18/an-interview-with-climategates-phil-jones/"><span class="caps">NYT</span>imes</a>: “Phil Jones, the scientist at the center of the Climategate scandal, answers questions from the <span class="caps">BBC</span>.” 2/18/2010</li>
<li>Fred Guteri in <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/id/233887/">Newsweek</a>: “Climate scientists who play fast and loose with the facts are imperiling not just their profession but the planet.” 2/19/2010</li>
</ul><p>Even though it generates lots of web-views, taking quotes out of context from illegally obtained information and then implying global implications is irresponsible. Calmly investigating the claims, as the <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/phil%20jones%20house%20of%20commons%20report.pdf"><span class="caps">UK</span> House of Commons Science and Technology Committee</a> has done, and finding the science sound is to be applauded.</div></div></div>Sat, 10 Apr 2010 05:39:20 +0000Morgan Goodwin4546 at http://www.desmogblog.comhttp://www.desmogblog.com/media-outlets-falsely-reporting-scientific-fraud-should-make-corrections#commentsCEI fails to manufacture its own 'stolen emails' controversyhttp://www.desmogblog.com/cei-fails-manufacture-its-own-stolen-emails-controversy
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/large/public/blogimages/cei%20logo_0.jpg?itok=A1is46aI" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>The folks at Competitive Enterprise Institute seemed to enjoy Climategate so much that they tried to manufacture an email scandal of their own. But two months and several attempts later, they haven’t been able to generate much interest.<br /></p></div></div></div>Sat, 10 Apr 2010 00:18:26 +0000Morgan Goodwin4567 at http://www.desmogblog.comhttp://www.desmogblog.com/cei-fails-manufacture-its-own-stolen-emails-controversy#commentsClimategate: An Autopsyhttp://www.desmogblog.com/climatgate-autopsy
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>How did emails stolen from climate scientists snowball into a global news story in less than 48 hours? </p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>“A lot is happening behind the scenes. It is not being ignored. Much is being coordinated among major players and the media. Thank you very much. You will notice the beginnings of activity on other sites now. Here soon to follow. ~ ctm [Charles Rotter, moderator on WattsUpWithThat.com]”</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>‘Climategate’, or ‘Swifthack’ was a media story about a set of hacked emails that was pushed by a group of avid climate skeptics, including bloggers <strong>Steven Mosher, <a href="http://desmogblog.com/steve-mcintyre">Steve McIntyre</a>, <a href="../../ross-mckitrick" title="Ross McKitrick">Ross McKitrick</a>, Patrick Condon, Lucia Liljegren, Charles Rotter</strong> and <strong>Anthony Watts</strong>. Collectively, they took a mountain of stolen material, condensed it into a well-packaged pitch, and sparked a scandalous story that reached virtually every major news outlet in the world. <br /></div></div></div>Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:42:55 +0000Morgan Goodwin4494 at http://www.desmogblog.comhttp://www.desmogblog.com/climatgate-autopsy#comments